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Sunday, February 27, 2011

I had this rare chance of trying the Shu Eumura Skin Purifier for really cheap... and when I say cheap, compared to its original retail price, I got it for almost free! :)

How? In my project at work, there was a fund raising wherein people would donate stuff they don't need and then those stuff were auctioned. I don't know how they came up with the minimum bid but they auctioned the 150ml bottle of the Shu Eumura Skin Purifier Cleansing Beauty Oil (Premium A/O Advanced Formula) for only Php300 (~7USD)! NOTE: Retail price in US is $34 and Php2.5K++ in the Philippines. I got it for Php380 - that's like my 2-way cab ride to the nearest Shu Eumura booth from home! I really don't know why people didn't bid on it.. but I would bid for it even up to Php1K :D

Anyway, I have been using this for almost month already so I believe that it's time to write a review about it. Apparently, this product is claimed to be the number 1 selling Shu Eumura cleansing oil in the world. The cleansing oil's advanced formula has green tea and ginko leaf extract which contains flavonoids. It has a strong anti-oxidant and micro circulation properties which maintain the skin's radiance and transparency. The product is designed to remove oxidized sebum, usually found in long wearing makeups and accelarates aging, which leaves your skin soft and young looking.

Likes: First, removing makeup is not that hard specially when removing eye makeup. With just 3 pumps of the product, I am able to get rid of the makeup. I use a waterproof liquid foundation and a waterproof mascara. If I am using a regular makeup remover, it requires me to clean 3 times before I get rid of everything, not to mention using an eye makeup remover for the eyes. If I am wearing just an eyeliner and mascara, I could skip the eye makeup remover and just add ang extra pump of the cleansing oil.

Second, I have a really dry skin so I find this product works a lot for me since facial cleansers tend to dry my skin even more. So using this product reduces my cleansing time since I use it as a makeup remover and facial cleanser at the same time and prevents my skin from drying.

Third, this product is mild to the eyes compared to regular facial cleansers and makeup removers. Unless I rub it directly into my eyes, I can easily remove eye makeup without worrying about my eyes. It could hurt my eyes at times but if I am careful enough not to rub so much, using this to remove eye makeup is fine. It feels gentle and unlike other facial cleansers, which normally I find itchy and sometimes sting, this product doesn't. Also I love how it smells and it leaves your face smelling good with a very subtle fragrance (imagine what happens when your boyfriend/husband tries giving you a goodnight kiss and he smells your face :D).

Lastly, I find this a very good deep cleansing product. After I apply enough on my skin and remove the makeup, I emulsify it with water, rinse and use another pump to deep cleanse my skin. I've noticed my skin feel supple and soft after I shower. Also, the dry areas on my face feel less dry. I knew that this is very effective as a cleanser because usually when I use regular facial cleansers, when I start applying toner, I would see residue of dirt on my cotton ball. When I started using this product, I seldom see residue and if ever there is, it's usually from the eye makeup that I missed (usually when I tight lined with an eyeliner and the product could not remove the liner under my lashline).

Dislikes: During the first week that I've used it, I experienced breakouts. I am not sure if it's because my skin is reacting to it or it's because the oil level of my skin became higher compared to what my skin's used to. With continuous use, the breakouts were reduced and I feel my skin is less dry. Also, at first, I feel weird using this since it doesn't feel like usual cleansers because of the oily feel but I got used to it and started loving it! I have used 1/5 of the bottle and will keep using it to test out its anti aging properties :)

My experience with the product was great and even if I have to purchase this again despite its price I definitely would. I think if this was cheaper I would recommend it 100% but if you are someone who are not into spending so much for skin care products, then this might be too expensive for you. There are combinations of products that could probably give the same results as this cleansing oil but I find this more convenient to use. This is great for people who travel a lot, since it saves you space by just bringing one product to both remove makeup, cleanse and moisturize the skin.

I am not sure if this is advisable to use for people who love the sun, but I wear sunblock everyday so that isn't much of my concern. Since this has green tea then I am hoping its anti aging properties would work for me.

If anyone has tried this product, please feel free to comment and let me know what are the advantages and disadvantages of this product.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

I just want to share with you this diet that I have tried sometime in 2009. I lost roughly around 10 lbs in 1 week. Although this diet is not recommended to last for more than a week, it can help give you a quick start in losing weight. I have really slow metabolism and I gain back weight easily at the moment I go beyond the 1200-1400 cal intake that was suggested to me by my nutritionist. I tried this to see some results and motivate me to my health journey. I am sharing this for reference but please do consult a doctor first before doing this kind of diet. If you have any kidney, heart or liver ailments, then I recommend that you really see a doctor first and ask if this kind of diet will not cause you problems.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

I never had skin issues when I was younger which lead me to taking it for granted and not really paying attention on skin maintenance. As a result, I had really dry skin, large visible pores around my nose and uneven skin color. When I got older, I started getting so conscious about how I look and started to feel scared of wrinkles and lines. I did so many research through reading and consultation with dermatologists in order to prevent my skin from further damage. I still don't have a porcelain perfect skin (working on it XD) but I feel my skin's a lot healthier looking and doesn't reveal much my age LOL! :D

Anyway here are the 10 basic things that you need to know and do to keep your skin healthy.

1. Keep your skin hydrated. Beautiful skin starts from the inside. Drink enough water to keep your skin from becoming dry. Water is very essential not only for cleansing our body but also important in keeping your skin looking tight and moisturized.
2. Extend your daily skin care regimen down to your chest. We all know the basics of skin care - cleanse, tone and moisturize. However, most people neglect the neck down. Forgetting to include your neck and chest to your daily skin care regimen is like putting on fancy eye shadow look without grooming your brows. It defeats the purpose. The skin on the neck is thinner than the face so it requires more TLC. You don't want your neck reveal your true age do you?
3. Exfoliate. As we get older, the skin's capacity to shed dead skin cells become less reliable. Dead skin prevents skin to breathe and makes skin look very dry. Always take time to exfoliate your face and body at least 2 times a month.
4. Put on SPF. Not wearing sunscreen is a sin. It DOES NOT mean when there is no sun, there are no ultraviolet rays damaging your skin. The minimum sun protection factor (SPF) for your skin is 30. Apply sunscreen at least 20 minutes before exposure. Re-apply every 2 hours if you are directly under the sun or outdoors for a longer period of time.
5. Remove traces of makeup, dirt and sweat before you sleep. Skin regenerates during sleep and lack of proper cleansing clogs pores and impedes surfacing of new cells causing skin to breakout.
6. Refrain popping acne. Popping acne can give you a temporary solution to make the pimple less visible but it will leave permanent scars on your skin.
7. STOP making unnecessary facial expressions. These are one of the reasons for the lines that appear on your face. Always keep your face relaxed and prevent yourself from making faces, lifting your brows, and squinting your eyes. On the side note, if you can skip drinking with the straw, do it. This causes lines to appear on top of your lips and it gets more visible as you get older.
8. Sleep on your back. When you sleep on your side, you tend to put pressure on one side of your face causing it to sag and develop wrinkles. When you are lying on your back, gravity pulls back your skin giving your face a natural lift :)
9. Keep your hands off your eyes. Rubbing your eyes tugs delicate areas around your eyes. This part has very thin layer of skin and also very sensitive so it is a lot faster to develop lines. Religiously apply eye cream to make up for all the years of rubbing you did.
10. Skip the makeup when you do your workout. I know some people cannot live with going all bare with their skin outside their homes. No matter how some makeup products claim that they are non comedogenic (does not clog pores) doesn't mean they are OK to use when working out. You sweat a lot when you work out so using makeup can cause blackheads and breakouts.

Getting a young and healthy looking skin doesn't need to be very expensive. Proper maintenance is the only key and taking time to care for your skin will save you money from expensive treatments. Prevention is the key so start early and do not wait until you start seeing signs of aging before you start doing something about it. :)

Sunday, February 6, 2011

I won Wade Lee Richards' MAC Villains and Rayetta's Button Bag giveaway last December and along with the prizes he sent me the cutest headbands ever :D Knowing my 4 yr-old niece being so fond of headbands, I had to save them for her. The moment she saw the headbands, her face lightened up and really liked them.

I really like his designs since they are very unique and classy. I am not that fond of headbands but seeing the designs from his site, The Store of Wade Lee, I can't resist them at all! I plan on purchasing more for my niece soon too :)

Again, thanks Wade for these. I loved them as much as my niece does! I look forward to seeing more designs in the future ^_^

Friday, February 4, 2011

Same as any other skill, makeup also uses terms that serve as a common language to anyone who does makeup application. In order to fully master the art of doing makeup, it is also important to know what terms are used in makeup business so you can talk like a makeup pro.

Blush is a term used to add a warm glow to a dull skin. Skip the blush when you already have a natural rosy color on your cheeks

Concealer is a product that covers any blemish that a foundation doesn't. You can skip this when you know that foundation is enough to hide all your skin imperfections.

Contour is a darker shade that is applied to your face to give features more depth and to define areas you want to make less visible to the eye

Dewy is a foundation finish that looks fresh and glowing, usually with a slight sheen. This is normally a technique seen in Asian makeup.

← an example of a dewy finish. It looks like almost no makeup is worn and very natural.

Eyeliner is used to either define the eyes or the eye makeup. Tight lining or very thin lining defines the eyes while thick dramatic lines give more definition to the eye makeup.

Eyeshadow is applied to define the shape of the eyes. It can be worn as a gentle color wash or as layers of color and texture making it more dramatic.

Foundation is used to even out complexion and covers minor imperfections. If you have beautiful and radian skin, it is best to skip the foundation and just dust it with powder. Foundation finishes can either be matte, satin or dewy.

Frost, sometimes referred to as iridescent and usually used as a term to refer to eyeshadows and lip color, is about maximum sparkle and super-shine. This look only works best on young skin since this can draw attention to the fine lines of a mature skin.

Gloss is a high-shine lip color. This does not stay on as long as a lip color.

Highlight helps to draw attention to specific area or feature. It is usually a lighter shade that is applied to high areas of the eyes or face.

Lip color is used to define lips and sets the mood of your overall look. Lipstick and gloss is an example of a lip color.

Luminescence is a foundation with light-reflecting qualities that creates a glowing, refined look. This can be used to bounce away light from surface lines and wrinkles.